UCLA Football Powers Past Arizona State, 50-36
TEMPE, Ariz. – Bruins' quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson threw for 169 yards and registered a career-best 120 rushing yards to lead the No. 10-ranked UCLA football team past Arizona State, 50-36, in a Pac-12 contest at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday night.
Thompson-Robinson accounted for four of UCLA's touchdowns – two on the ground and two in the air – as he finished with 289 all-purpose yards in the Pac-12 showdown.
The Bruins (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) outgained Arizona State in overall yardage by a 571 to 468 margin, racking up 402 total rushing yards. UCLA's Kazmeir Allen (137 yards), Thompson Robinson (120 yards), Keegan Jones (98 yards) and Colson Yankoff (48 yards) each finished with career highs in single-game rushing yards.
UCLA's 402 total rushing yards marked the program's highest single-game rushing total since amassing 437 rushing yards (on 56 carries) against Washington State in a 42-28 win at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 2, 2010.
Arizona State quarterback Trenton Bourguet completed 38 of 49 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
UCLA led throughout Saturday night's contest at Sun Devil Stadium, extending the lead to 42-18 late in the third quarter before Arizona State (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) cut the Bruins' cushion to 42-36.
Leading by six points, the Bruins took advantage of a seven-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown and 2-point conversion. That helped to put UCLA ahead of Arizona State, 50-36.
Prior to that UCLA touchdown, a one-yard carry from Yankoff, ASU had capitalized on a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, a field goal at the 11:09 mark in the fourth quarter and a 1-yard touchdown run (and ensuing 2-point conversion) with 6:24 to play in regulation. Those three ASU scores trimmed UCLA's lead to 42-36.
UCLA had outscored the host Sun Devils by a 35-7 margin after Arizona State had opened the game with a 25-yard field goal by Carter Brown. After trailing ASU, 10-7, midway through the first quarter, the Bruins scored the game's next 28 points to secure a 35-10 lead in the third quarter.
Arizona State cut the Bruins' margin to 35-18 midway through the third quarter. On UCLA's next offensive series, Allen powered up the middle for a 75-yard touchdown run on the Bruins' first play. That score put UCLA ahead of Arizona State, 42-18.
The Bruins had entered the locker room at halftime with a 28-10 cushion.
Leading 14-10 after a back-and-forth first quarter, UCLA added to its cushion with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns. The Bruins' third touchdown of the night took place after a highlight-reel hurdle on a 33-yard carry by Thompson-Robinson, one play before Keegan Jones raced to the end zone on a 10-yard touchdown run.
After UCLA's defense forced the Sun Devils to punt the ball, the Bruins' offense capitalized on a 16-play and 90-yard drive. UCLA took a 28-10 lead on a nine-yard touchdown strike from Thompson-Robinson to Michael Ezeike with just 33 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Looking back at the first quarter, Arizona State took the game's first lead, connecting on a 25-yard field goal by Carter Brown less than four minutes into the contest.
The Bruins answered with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 14-yard touchdown run by Thompson-Robinson at the 8:54 mark.
ASU scored a touchdown on the next possession, taking advantage of a 12-play, 75-yard drive to take a 10-7 lead. Bourguet threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Messiah Swinson with 2:41 remaining in the quarter.
UCLA claimed a 14-10 advantage less than three minutes later. After a 42-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Allen, Thompson-Robinson threw a 3-yard touchdown strike to Keegan Jones.
The Bruins have just three games remaining on their regular-season schedule and will return to action against Arizona at the Rose Bowl (Pasadena) on Saturday, Nov. 12. UCLA's game time will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 6.